Huntsville gazette., 1887-07-16
KALAKAUA'S TROUBLE.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE KING OF
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.


Consultation Unless His Privy Council
Tells Hun To-Iatsst Information Re
Perts . threatening State Of AnAirs.
New YoRK, July ia Honolulu specia
to the Herald dated July 5, gives q repor
Of an interview with>King Kalakaua. Tht
king is reported as saying: "Ths history o.
the present trouble would be too long {,
enter into now. My position to-day
largely one Of ignorance at to what is ex-
actly going on.
"As understand it, however, new con
stitution is being drawn up by the committe'
Of revision composed of my present ministry
the supreme court and . number Of citizens
What that constitution contains ! do NO
know, but am informed that 1t has provis
ions that will radically alter the politica
condition Of affairs For instance, am told
that it will confer the franchise upon al
residents, whether citizens or not, provided
they are property -holders- Now, unless
class legislation is practiced that will extend
the franchise to Chinese, Japanese and Por
tuguese, and cut of the voting power ol
some three or four shousand natives, whost
present qualification is that OF education
and under that theirs u between eleven and
twelve thousand votsrs, of whom not more
than FIVE or six hundred are white. Now, /,
il strious question whether l have any
right to sign q document working sucl
injustice to my cOuntrymen IS this new con-
stitution would do at the instigation Of the
meeting, more than three-fourths Of whose
member have NO say in their country
affairs.n
"Will you sign the documantr' asked.
II shall not," he replied, ''unleB advised
to do 30 by my privy council, to whom
shall submit, unless am compelled to do it
instantly under duress. But no matter
whether signed by duress or by advice,
shall consider tbs document illegal The
only way the existing constitution can b
changed is by tho vote Of the Legislature at
two successive sessions, and when the people
attempt to change the constitution in any
other way, they simply make me an unwill-
ing party to an illegal act"
"What are the relations between yourself
and your new ministry?
l cannot tell" answered the king, spread
ing open his hands. II have not seen them
since they took the oath of offlce"
"But that" said, 'is nearly q week ago
Why do you not summon them and ask to
be informed - to the true condition Of A.
fairss 1t IL surely the duty Of your min
istry TO keep you informed Of all that d 90
CURING"
1T il, said the king, firmly. THAT will
show me their hand, or 1t all events. they
shall bear the responsibility Of keeping
me in Ignorance - to what is going on I'll
do it."
And summoning Antoine Rosa, his cham
berlain, he gave orders for the immediate
convening Of his ministry.
"Do you fear any porsonal violencer wa
III you moan drsading Il, say no." hs
answered III you mean anticipating II,
cannot say. do not fear dying, and dc
not bslievs the end Of the trouble has been
reached
"Whst means have you Of sslf-dsfsnssr
II have my body guard Of sixty men, who
are pasably well armed and drilled, N he r.
piled. "an Austrian battery al siI hsld-
good bolts 10 outside doors and good hearts
within Then, too, there are two COM
pAnies Of native volunteers, called the
of old retainers."
O0t OutSiu0, a. uuu0xOt8L1Q ~, o04U,
''thsre are 800 men, over ], 900 rifles and an.
munitiou enough for q aieger
"Y@, "rsplisd the king nervously, wstting
his lips, 'but they have not got inside yet.
"WM you call upon The United States
ship Adam for assistancer
mot exactly for assistance" answered
Kalakaua, ''but have determined upon the
sailing Of the Australis this afternoon either
TO request the minister Of foreign affairs to
ask foreign representative TO consider the
adviaability Of adopting certain plans Tor
assuring me Of my personal safety or else Ia
make an appeal over my own signature.
my proposition 10 that . detachment OF
marines shall be landed from the Adams,
AID b quartered ct the The palace, and my
argument will be that their presence may
stop bloodshed, which might otherwisa
OCCUR"
Much more was said, the conversation
lasting two hours, but the above = all Il 4
necessary to dispatch.
Ten Hours' Later News.
SAN Francisco, July i5.-Advices by let
ter from Honolulu, which are ton hours later
than those published, say that the steamer
Australia sailed ct 3 o'clack on the afternoon
of July s. and at that time the streets wore
full Of excited people Tho Rifles had lust
bsen called out, and it was said that II the
AA~~.- 49, ~. ~